Crank-case-oil heater



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Nov. 18, 1930. 'r. P. HANNEGAN 1,731,840

CRANK CASE OIL HEATER Filed April 14. 1928 IN V EN TOR.

Tlmaafifmmegan BY M ATTORNEYS.

latented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS P. HANNEGAN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA CBANK-CASE-OIL HEATER Application filed April 14,

The present invention relates to an oil temperature regulating device for automobile engines.

In cold weather the oil in the crankcase of an automobile engine coagulates so that it ofiers resistance to starting the motor and in such coagulated condition cannot flow through the oiling system of the motor. Because of this condition of the oil there is little or no lubrication of the motor until the oil is sufficiently warmed by the operation of the motor to permit circulation through the oiling system. Various expedients have been tried to attempt to warm the oil such as running a hot water coil through the crankcase to be immersed in the oil therein, or running exhaust gases from the motor across the bottom of the crankcase. When such a hot water pipe is employed only the oil near the pipe is warmed since the oil does not circulate in a coagulated condition.

The heating of the oil by exhaust gases is partially satisfactory but since the exhaust gases are hotter than it is desired to have the oil the oil is sometimes overheated by such an installation, destroying the lubricating properties of the oil with possible damage to the motor.

An object of the present invention is to water jacket the crankcase of an internal combustion motor and to connect said water jacket to the water cooling system of said motor.

The method of attaining this object is brought out in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a motor embodying the present invention, a portion of the crankcase being broken away to show the construction thereof, and

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the forward portion of the motor shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail a motor A includes a customary cylinder block 1 and crankcase 2. The cylinder block 1 is water jacketed as at 3 for cooling and is connected with pipes 4 and 5 to the top and bottom respectively of a water cooling radiator 6. A water circulating pump 7 is driven by a 1928. Serial No. 269,921.

pulley 8 and belt 9 which passes around a pulley 10 mounted on the crankshaft, not shown, of the motor. The circulation of the water is as indicated by the arrows in the drawings.

A pan 11 is mounted beneath the crankcase 2 being spaced from the bottom of the crankcase to provide a water acket 12 beneath the bottom of the crankcase. This pan preferably extends up the sides of the crankcase to the height of the normal oil level in said crankcase.

The pan 11 is preferably mounted as at 13 to receive a water tube 14 which is connected to the Water line 5 of the motor as at 15. The tube 14 is securely mounted in the indentation 13 as by brazing and has lateral openings 16 and 17 into the pan 11. A drain plug 18 in the end of the tube 14 permits draining the Water from the pan 11.

The portion 19 of the pan 11 is indented upwardly around the opening for oil drain plug 20, the pan and the crankcase being secured to each other at this point as by welding. The oil drain plug is thus protected, by being contained in this indentation, from injury through contact with objects such as are ciometimes encountered in a deeply rutted roa A tube 21 is connected from the upper portion of cylinder water jacket 3 to the side of the crankcase water acket as at 22. A valve 23 is mounted in this tube to control the flow of water therethrough. A rod 24 is connected to the valve 23 and extends through the dash of the automobile so that the valve 23 may be controlled from the dash Without requiring the opening of the engine hood.

An electrically energized heating unit 25 may be mounted in the crankcase water jacket and connected to a suitable source of electrical energy such as a house lighting circuit as by means of conductors 26 and a plug 27.

Where it is desired to warm the oil in the crankcase prior to starting the motor the electrical heating unit 25 may be energized for a sufficient length of time, ordinarily about an hour, to heat the water in the crankcase water jacket 12. By means of the heated water in the crankcase water jacket the oil in the crankcase will be heated sufliciently to insure its being in a fluid condition when the motor is started.

Upon starting the motor the water in the motor cylinder water jacket is heated by the explosions in the motor cylinders and, as shown by the arrows in Figures 1 and 2, is circulated downwardly through the tube 21, into the crankcase water jacket 12 from whence it is drawn up through the tube 14 into the pipe 2 adjacent the pump 7. From here it passes again into the cylinder water jacket. This circulation of heated water through the crankcase water jacket 12 soon heats the oil therein sufliciently to permit said oil to circulate even when not preliminarily warmed by the electrical heating unit 25.

In addition to warming the oil in winter the oil is maintained at a suitable operating temperature at all times. Overheating of the oil is prevented in extremely hot weather since the water circulating through the radiator 6 is thereby prevented from overheatmg.

WVhile illustrated and described in connection with an automobile motor the invention would be equally adapted for use with any water cooled internal combustion motor.

I claim:

A crankcase oil heater for water cooled motors comprising a pan connected beneath the crankcase of said motor and spaced therefrom to provide a water jacket between said crankcase and said pan, said pan having an indentation therein about an oil drain opening said pan being connected to said crankcase about said opening to form a hermetically sealed joint therewith, a water passage from 'said water jacket to an upper portion of the water cooling system of said motor, and a second water passage from said water jacket to a lower portion of the water cooling system of said motor.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS P. HANN EGAN. 

